Local Democracy Reporting Service

Offices that have sat empty in Wolverhampton city centre for a number of years are to be converted into new apartments.

City of Wolverhampton Council planners have given the green light to Charles Jordan Ltd to transform floors of Pearl House in Waterloo Road into 38 new flats.

Image source, Google

The applicant said most of the building was unoccupied, with much of the space left unused for years, and was therefore no longer viable as an office block.

The 36 one-bedroom and two two-bedroom apartments will be created across the ground, first, second and third floors of the building.

The top floor offices are currently occupied and will stay the same while the lower ground floor will house a communal laundry room, cycle store and waste storage areas.

A request for an unnamed VIP to land in a garden leads to an encounter with Hollywood royalty.

A graffiti "hit squad" to target vandalism on the railway network has been launched in the West Midlands.

Network Rail and West Midlands Rail Executive are investing more than £700,000 to clean up line-side areas and bridges.

Image source, Network Rail

"Removing graffiti is an ongoing battle but we know the majority of people hate it as much as we do,” said Network Rail’s Allun Edge.

“Trespassing on the railway to do it can also have fatal consequences and it’s simply not worth risking your life to spray a wall with a tag."

BBC Midlands Today

There has been a big rise in Covid cases in Herefordshire.

Latest figures show cases in the county increased by 54% week on week, the biggest increase in the Midlands.

The case rate in Herefordshire is about 300 per 100,000 people, but among under 21s it is 1,000 per 100,000.

Free taxi journeys are being offered to people struggling to get to their Covid-19 vaccination in Hereford.

Return taxis available for people who may be struggling to get to the vaccination centres from Widemarsh, Central, Hinton and Hunderton, Newton Farm and Greyfriars wards in the city.

The rides are on offer through Blue Line Taxi or Hi-Town Taxis.

Jabs are now available to anyone aged 16 or over.

Bruno Lage has pointed out Wolves have had 42 attempts to score in two games after another defeat left him still waiting for his first point in the Premier League since becoming head coach.

Image source, BBC Sport

Dele Alli's ninth-minute penalty was enough to give Tottenham a 1-0 victory at Molineux on Sunday.

Lage said he was "confident with the process we are doing" and "happy with the performance but not the result".

He stated: "We created 25 chances, in both games so far 42, and didn't score a goal - it is important to score goals to get some points.

"If we play like that and create, chances are going to be good, that is the way we want to play."

Can Bruno Lage make quick impact at Molineux? - you can read Simon Stone's piece here.

The musician and songwriter was a founding member of the chart-topping reggae band.

BBC Radio WM

A mother says she has been left "devastated" after her baby daughter's grave was vandalised twice within three months.

Louise Aston's daughter Jane is buried in Bushbury Crematorium in Wolverhampton.

She said she stood there "in amazement" when she found the latest damage last week.

"We just couldn't believe it," she said.

"I'd just like [the council] to tidy it all up...I'd even like CCTV."

Image source, Louise Aston

City of Wolverhampton Council said it had reported the incident to the police.

Following his Olympic silver medal win, boxer Ben Whittaker announced his wish to become mayor of Wolverhampton.

And that dream came true on Sunday, when he was made the city's mayor for a day.

The 24-year-old said it had been a "a dream come true"

Birmingham Live

Here are some of the headlines on the Birmingham Live website today:

• West Midlands Police officer Pc Musa Muhammed dies aged just 47 , external
• Clubber dies after being stabbed in Digbeth , external
• Risky Business? Tom Cruise downs TWO chicken tikkas with extra spices at Birmingham curry house Asha's, external

BBC Radio Shropshire

The group trying to buy a house on the Wrekin said they are determined to raise the cash to keep it for the local community.

The Halfway House has provided refreshments to thousands of walkers over its 150-year history as a café on the Shropshire hill.

It is on the market for just under £600,000.

Image source, Getty Images

A murder investigation is under way after a 25-year-old man died following a confrontation after leaving a nightclub.

West Midlands Police said the victim collapsed on Oxford Street, Digbeth at about 02:45 BST on Sunday.

He later died in hospital.

Image source, Google

Detectives said they know people filmed what happened on their phones and have appealed for them to come forward.

A post-mortem examination is due to be carried out today.

Rail users are being warned that there remains disruption on routes from Birmingham New Street towards Stansted Airport.

Services are still suspended between Peterborough and March, with a road replacement service running instead.

It follows a collision at a level crossing between the two stations last week.

Full service is expected to resume on Tuesday.

Today will start mostly cloudy and dry with mist or fog to start.

But later in the afternoon, cloud will break up to reveal lengthy sunny spells for most.

Image source, Suttonwalker

This evening will have plenty of evening spells of sunshine and little in the way of cloud.

Overnight, things will continue to stay dry, with mostly clear skies and some light winds.

The latest news, sport, travel and weather from across the West Midlands and south Cheshire.

Enterprising teenagers oversee the conversion to launch a mobile food business.

Wolves' new boss Bruno Lage is trying to implement a new approach, but after two defeats it is clear he will need time to make an impact.

The silver medallist said in a post-bout interview in Tokyo he wanted to experience the honour.

The victim got into a fight with another man shortly after leaving a nightclub, police say.

Dele Alli scores the winner from the penalty spot as Spurs beat Wolves, with Harry Kane coming off the bench for the visitors.